Russia’s mobile operators warn they’ll block bank calls starting October 15 if they aren’t labeled

Russia's Digital Development Ministry has requested the central bank to ensure banks comply with labeling mass calls, according to Kommersant. In a letter to central bank head Elvira Nabiullina, Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadayev cited a joint appeal from the "Big Four" mobile operators - Beeline, MegaFon, MTS, and T2.

The operators threatened to block calls from Russia's largest banks, including Alfa-Bank, VTB, GPB, Renaissance Credit, Sberbank, Sovcombank, and T-Bank, starting October 15, due to the banks' refusal to sign agreements for labeling their calls. The operators claim over 90% of banking-sector companies and nearly 100% of companies in other sectors have already signed labeling agreements, but the major banks either refuse to sign or sign but do not comply.

Andrei Yemelin, head of the National Financial Market Council, said the banks believe the telecom operators are misinterpreting the law, arguing the law should place the responsibility on the telecom operator to deliver the label to subscribers. Sberbank specifically claims the procedure described in the law should only apply to actions by the telecom operator.

According to a source, large banks generate 95% of bank-related spam calls. Mobile operators ceased displaying the "bank" label on calls from Sberbank, VTB, and Alfa-Bank starting in January 2026. Labeling corporate calls has been mandatory since September 1, 2025, as part of anti-fraud efforts. Labeling costs the "Big Four" operators an average of 30 kopecks per call, with the fee charged to the caller.

Experts estimate the costs for large banks could reach up to 1 billion rubles annually, while the entire market could see up to 20 billion rubles in costs. Russian authorities have tightened legislation in the digital sphere, using the fight against telephone fraud as an excuse to implement stricter laws.